Means for protecting ships from submarine explosions.



. G. E. ELIA.

MEANS FOR PROTECTING SHIPS FROM SUBMARINE EXPLOSIONS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-9. 1916.

l ,286, 174. Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GIOVANNI EMANUELE ELIA, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

MEANS FOR PROTECTING SHIPS FROM SUBMARINE EXPLOSIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

Application filed December 9, 1916. Serial No. 136,037.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GIOVANNI EMANUELE ELIA, a subject of the King of Italy, residing in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Protecting Ships from Submarine Explosions; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

Heretofore ships have been provided with water-tight compartments as a protection against submarine explosions, such as those caused by torpedoes or submarine mines. These compartments have been more or less successful in preventing the ship from sinking after an explosion which injures a portion of the ship, but the injured compartment or compartments soon become filled with the water which rushes into the same. Thus the equilibrium of the ship is destroyed and a list, which increases with the increase of the number of compartments destroyed, is imparted to the ship, and consequently, its progress will be impeded, and if it be a war vessel, it will be made easy prey for the enemy.

My invention has for its object to provide novel and effective means for protecting ships from torpedo attacks or submarine mine explosions, and more particularly to provide means, part of which may be destroyed without affecting the equilibrium of the ship.

In the drawing, I have illustrated my invention is applied to a war vessel, but it is to be understood that it is equally as ap plicable to merchant or other vessels.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a war vessel of modern type showing my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the vessel; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the particular construction of the jacket.

In the drawing, I have illustrated a war vessel 1, and have disclosed an embodiment of my invention applied thereto. This embodiment consists of a belt or jacket 2, which extends from the stern of the vessel completely around the bow thereof and entirely covers both of its sides from above the water line to the bottom. The thickness of the jacket increases, preferably, from the stern to the bow, because of the fact that it is the bow portionof the vessel which most generally receives the shocks. I have provided a plurality of prongs 3, which are secured to the jacket and extend outwardly therefrom adjacent to the bow, which prongs are provided with cutting edges at their forward portions. It will be obvious that these prongs will catch. the mines as the vessel advances through a mine field, and the anchor cables of the mines will be severed by the prongs. As a consequence of locating the prongs at the bow of the vessel, the mines will be drawn into the thicker portions of the jacket, and will explode thereagainst.

This belt or plurality of longitudinally arranged units 4 in the shape of rectangular steel cells which carry fillers 5 of wood. These cells are arranged in rows both vertically and horizontally, and it is to be understood that the vertical and horizontal rows may be in creased or decreased at will, and as the necessity demands. The relative size and dimensions of the steel cells-and the wood fillers are such that their combined densities will be substantially equal to that of the water in which the vessel floats, so that, as before stated, when a portion of the jacket is blown away, the water filling the portion will have a density equal to that of the destroyed portion, and will, consequently, prevent the listing of the vessel.

This belt or jacket 2 may be built into the vessel, forming a portion of the hull thereof. or it may be applied to the outside of the hull. This permits the incorporation of the device as a part of the vessel when the latter is being constructed, and also permits the application of the device to vessels which have previously been constructed without the modification of the construction thereof.

While I have described one embodiment of the invention as being composed of steel and wood, I contemplate the making of the belt or jacket of a solid composition of concrete and cork in such proportions that the required density is obtained. and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the use of the particular materials described.

What I claim is 1; The combination with a vessels hull, of a protective jacket including a plurality of cellular elements having fillers therein, the

jacket 2 is composed of a.

density of the jacket being equal to that of the water of flotation.

2. The combination with a vessels hull, of a protective jacket increasing in thickness from the stern to the bow of the vessel and including a plurality ofcellular elev ments having fillers therein, the density of the jacket being equal to that of the water of flotation.

3. The combination with a vessels hull, of a protective jacket consisting of a plurality of individual cellular elements, the density of the jacket being equal to that of the water of flotation.

L. The-combination with a vessels hull, of a protective jacket consisting of a plurality of individual elements each composed of at least two materials, one of said materials serving as a container and the other as a filler, the combined densities of which are equal to the density of the water of flotation. I

5. The combination with a vessels hull, of a protective jacket increasing in thickness from the stern to the bow thereof, and means for directing submarine explosives against the thicker portions of the jacket.

6. The combination with a vessels hull, of a protective jacket including a plurality of metal cells extending from the stern to the bow of the vessel, and wood fillers arranged in said cells, the combined densities of the cells and fillers being equal to that of the water of flotation.

7. The combination with a vessels hull, of a protective jacket including a plurality of metal cells extending from the stern to the bow ofthe vessel, and wood fillers arranged in said cells, the combined densities of the cells and fillers being equal to that of the water of flotation, the jacket increasing in thickness from the stern to the bow, and mine-engaging prongs arranged at the thicker portions of the jacket adjacent to the bow.

8. The combination with a vessels hull, of a protective jacket which increases in thickness from the stern to the bow, and means for directing submarine explosives against the thicker portions of the jacket, said jacket being formed of at least two materials, the combined densities of which are equal to the density of the water of flotation.

9. The combination with a vessels hull, of a protective jacket which increases in thickness from the stern to the bow, and means for directing submarine explosives against the thicker portions of the jacket.

10. A protective jacket for ships which.

consists of a plurality of cellular elements having fillers therein the density of the jacket being equal to that of the water of flotation.

11. The combination with a vessels hull, of a protective jacket which consists of a plurality of cellular elements having fillers therein, and mine-engaging elements extending from certain portions of said jacket.

12. The combination with a vessels hull, of a protective jacket enveloping the hull, the said jacket decreasing in thickness from one end of the boat to the other.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

,VGIOVANNI EMANUELE ELIA. 

